Apparatus for treating metal parts



Sept. 6, 1955 c. JOY 2,716,989

APPARATUS FOR TREATING METAL PARTS Filed June 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l IEIT;

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Sept. 6, 1955 c, JOY

APPARATUS FOR TREATING METAL PARTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 5 1950 INVENTOR. Q/Mf/VC! z. Jar

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APPA ATUS FOR TREATING METAL PARTS Filed June 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

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ATTOAA/f/S United States Patent APPARATUS son TREATING METAL PARTS Clarence L. Joy, Detroit, Mich, assignor to l-iiolcroft &

Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application June 5, 1950, Serial No. 166,287

12 Claims. (Cl. 134-66) This invention relates to an improved apparatus for treating metal parts.

In treating certain metal parts such for example as cast iron parts, it is customary to anneal or heat the metal parts to the stress relieving temperature of the metal and to clean the parts by a descaling or desanding operation. There are several current processes for accomplishing the two above operations, but in each process the annealing and cleaning operations are performed at the same time by submerging the metal parts into a fused alkali bath. In following either of these processes, it is essential to not only heat the bath to the required stress relieving temperature of the parts, but to also allow the metal parts to remain in the bath for a sufficient time to properly heat the parts. Thus tanks of some considerable size were necessary, and care had to be taken to keep the temperature of the bath below the temperature at which decomposition of the salt takes place.

With the above in view, it is an object of this invention to heat treat or anneal and clean the metal parts in steps which although separate are nevertheless continuous. in accordance with this invention the parts are heated to the desired temperature within a furnace, and are advanced directly from the furnace into the cleaning or fused alkali bath. Thus heat treating of the parts is accomplished prior to introducing the same to the cleaning bath, and the parts are at elevated temperatures when submerged into the bath. As a result no time need be allowed in the cleaning bath for heating the parts and the cleaning operation is not only expedited, but the size of the tank for the bath may be materially reduced.

Cleaning processes embodying fused alkali baths ordinarily require the parts to be introduced into several rinsing and acid baths. To this end the invention contemplates a unique apparatus for automatically handling 3 the parts so that the operation is continuous regardless of the number of baths provided.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a semi-diagrammatic side elevational view of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1; 0 Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3;

are

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of the apparatus shown in Figure l; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of another part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, it will be assumed that the apparatus to be presently described serves to anneal or heat treat metal castings to the stress relieving temperature of the metal; and to also descale, desand or otherwise clean the metal castings.

It will, of course, be understood as this description proceeds, that the apparatus and particularly various parts of the latter, may be employed for heat treating and/or cleaning metal parts other than castings.

in general, metal parts are supported on trays 111 and the trays are advanced through a furnace to a cleaning unit 125. During advancement of the trays 111 through the furnace 110, the metal articles carried by the trays are heated to the stress relieving temperature of the metal from which the articles are formed. The heated articles delivered from the furnace are conveyed directly to the cleaning unit 125, and are successively submerged into various baths to be presently described in detail.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the trays 111 are advanced through the furnace 110 by a pusher 112 having pivoted dogs 113 positioned to engage shoulders 11d adjacent the rear edges of the trays 111. The pusher 112 is reciprocated by a rack 115 suitably supported for sliding movement in the direction of the pusher and extending rearwardly from the rear end of the pusher. The rack is engaged by gears 116 suitably secured to a cross shaft Which is connected to a power unit 117 for operation by the latter. Also suitable pusher dogs 123 are pivoted to the rack in positions to successively engage the trays at the delivery end of the furnace.

As shown in Figure 6 the pusher 112 has laterally spaced side rails 118 connected together at spaced points by cross members 119 and the rack 115' has laterally spaced side rails 120. The rails 120 extend forwardly along the outer sides of the respective rails 118 and are connected to the latter by pins 122 which project through elongated slots 121 in the rails 120. The purpose of the lost motion connection between the pusher 112 and the rack 115 is to advance the tray 111 at the delivery end of the furnace 110 to the position 124 shown in Figure l of the drawings. in detail it will be noted that in the forwardmost position of the rack 115 the front dogs 123 engage the shoulder 114 on the last tray in the furnace so that as the rack is moved rearwardly, this tray is advanced relative to the next adjacent preceding tray through the delivery opening in the furnace to the position 124. in this position the rear dogs 123 on the rack engage the front sides of the tray so that continued rearward movement of the rack 115 transfers the tray to the cleaning units 125 about to be described.

The cleaning unit 125 comprises three tanks or receptacles 126', 127 and 128 supported in spaced relation to each other in a row extending in the same direction as the path of travel of the trays through the furnace lltl. The tank 126 contains a fused alkali bath, and is heated by suitable heating elements 129. Also a sludge collecting receptacle 130 (Figure 4) is provided at the bottom of the tank 126, and a sludge cleaning conveyor 131 is associated with the receptacle 130. The tank 127 contains a washing bath such as water and the tank 128 contains a suitable acid bath.

- The open upper ends of the tanks are spaced below a plane including the path of travel of the trays 111 and the trays are successively lowered into and out of the baths by three elevators 132, 133 and 134. All of the elevators are identical in construction and a description of one will suflice for all. The elevator 132 comprises a box-like rectangular frame 135 and a drum 136. The frame 135 has laterally spaced uprights 137 connected together by vertically spaced cross members 138. The drum 136 is supported on rollers 139 on the bottom cross members 138 for rotation about an axis parallel to the path of travel of the trays 111 and is open at opposite ends. The length of the drum 136 approximates the length of the trays 111 and suitable guides 140 are fastened within the drum. The guides 140 extend in the direction of length of drum, and are arranged as shown in Figure 4 to slidably engage the four corners of the trays at the top and bottom side edges of the trays.

The opposite ends of the drum 136 are formed with an annular series of teeth 141 and link type chains 142 l extend around the under sides of the drum in meshing engagement with the respective series of teeth 141. The upper portions of the chains engage sprockets 143 and 144 respectively secured to cross shafts 145 and 146 journalled on the frame 135 adjacent the top of the latter. The shaft 145 has a pulley 147 secured thereto and connected by a belt 148 to a motor 149 which is suitably mounted on the frame 135. Since all of the elevators are identical in construction, it follows that the drums 136 are independently rotated by motors 149 and these motors are controlled by limit switches (not shown) in a manner such that the motors 149 are operated to rotate the drums 136 when the elevators are lowered from their raised positions into the respective baths.

Rotatably supported between the drums 136 in axial alignment with the latter in the raised positions of the elevators are drums 150. The drums 150 are identical to the drums 136 and the same reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts. However, the drums 150 are mounted on the fixed frame structure 151, and constitute drain stations. The drainage drops from the drums on plates 152 which are inclined as shown in Figure l to return the drainage to the preceding tank.

A fourth elevator 153 identical to the elevator 132 is supported at the rear end of the cleaning unit 125. A A

drum 154 is rotatably supported on the elevator 153 and this drum is exactly the same as the drums 136 and 150. In view of the above the reference numerals used in connection with the elevator 132 and the drums 136 are applied to the elevator 153 and drum 154 to designate corresponding parts. The drum 154 provides a drain station for the acid bath 128 and the drainage dropping from the drum 154 is returned to the bath 128 by an inclined plate 155.

All of the drums are in alignment in Figure l of the drawings, and the trays are successively deposited within the drums by a propelling device 156 shown best in Figure 3 of the drawings. The device 156 extends for the full length of the cleaning unit 125 through. the drums and comprises a plurality of sections or. slides. 157 respectively slidably supported on track sections 158 located within the respective drums, The track sections in the respective drums assume positions in alignment when the drums are in alignment so that the sections 157 may be moved as a unit in opposite directions from one drum to the other.

Referring again to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that the rear ends of the slides are provided with T-shaped slots 159 and the front ends are formed with T-shaped projections 160 which engage within the slots to form releasable interlocking couplings between the slides 157 when the latter are in alignment. Thus movement of one slide results in a corresponding movement of the other slides and this is accomplished by a slide 161 at the rear end of the device 156. The slide 161 also has a releasable interlocking coupling 159, 160 with the preceding slide or with the slide 157 within the drum 154. As shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, the slide 161 has rack teeth at the bottom, and these teeth are engaged by a gear 162 which is driven by a power unit 163. The slides or sections are actually in the form of rectangular frames having side rails and a pair of pusher dogs 164 are respectively pivotally supported on the rails of each slide. The dogs 164 are engageable with the shoulders 114 on the trays and serve to advance the trays rearwardly upon movement of the device 156 rearwardly by the power unit 163.

The elevators 132, 133, 134 and 153 are operated by a motor 165 suitably supported on the frame structure 151. The drive shaft 166 of the motor is operatively connected to cables 167 which in turn are respectively connected to the elevators 132, 133 and 134. The arrangement is such that forward rotation of the motor shaft 166 lowers the elevators 132, 133 and 134, and rotation of the motor shaft in the reverse direction raises these elevators. The motor shaft 166 is also connected to the elevator 153 by a cable 168 but the connection is such that this elevator moves upwardly slightly as the elevators 132, 133 and 134 move downwardly. The extent 1 of upward movement of the elevator 153 is merely sufficient to uncouple the slide within the drum 154 from the next adjacent slides, so that the drum 154 may be rotated.

When the drums 132, 133 and 134 are moved downwardly into their respective baths and the elevator 153 moves upwardly, all of the slides are disconnected and the drums may be rotated. The motors 149 for respectively rotating the drums are operated by limit switches (not shown), and similar switches may be provided for stopping rotation of the drums just prior to movement of f the elevators to their normal positions shown in Figure 1. During the final movement of the elevators to their normal positions the couplings between the slides are engaged enabling rearward movement of all of the slides as a unit to transfer the trays rearwardly from one drum to the next following drum. The tray 111 within the last drum 154 is advanced by the slide 161 to a delivery platform 170.

At the time the propelling device 156 moves rearwardly to transfer trays 111 from one drum to the next adjacent drum, the rack 115 is operated to advance a tray 111 from the position 124 into the first drum 136 and into operative relationship to the dogs 164 on the slide 157 in the first drum 136. The metal articles on this tray are at an elevated temperature and are lowered into the fused alkali bath before they have a chance to cool to any great extent. In other words, the articles introduced to the salt bath have not only been heat treated but are at an elevated temperature so that it is not essential to raise the temperature of the articles in the salt bath. As a consequence, the time the articles remain in the salt bath may be appreciably reduced.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Apparatus for treating metal articles comprising a receptacle containing a bath and open at the top, an elevator movable into and out of the bath through the open top of the receptacle, a drum supported on the elevator for rotation about an axis extending generally perpendicular to the path of travel of the elevator and movable by the elevator into and out of the bath, a second drum rotatablysupported to one side of the path of travel of the elevator in a position to register with the first drum in the raised position of the elevator, said drums having the opposite ends open and having means for supporting articles therein, means for transferring articles from the first drum into the second drum when said drums are in registration comprising a pair of slides respectively supported in the drums for sliding movement axially of the drums and having coupling portions between the drums movable into interlocking engagement upon movement of the elevator to its raised position, and means for r0- tating the drums when the drums are out of registration.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 having means connected to one slide for reciprocating both slides when the elevator is in its raised position and having means responsive to movement of the slides in a direction toward the second drum to withdraw articles from the second drum and to transfer articles from the first drum to the second drum.

3. Apparatus for treating metal articles supported on trays, comprising a plurality of receptacles spaced from each other in a row and open at the top, a corresponding number of elevators respectively movable into and out of the receptacles through the open tops thereof, a drum supported on each elevator for rotation about an axis extending generally perpendicular to the path of travel of the elevators and movable by the elevators into and out of the respective baths, said drums having the opposite ends open and having means for supporting article carrying trays within the drums, additional drums respectively rotatably supported between adjacent drums on the elevators in positions to register with the latter drums in the raised positions of the elevators, means for rotating the drums when the latter are out of registration, and means for transferring trays from one drum to the other when the drums are in registration, said last-named means comprising slides respectively supported within the drums for sliding movement axially of the drums, couplings on adjacent ends of the slides movable into interlocking engagement upon movement of the elevators to their raised positions and movable out of engagement upon movement of the elevators downwardly into the respective baths, and means connected to one slide for reciprocating all of the slides when said couplings are in interlocking engagement.

4. Apparatus for treating metal articles comprising a receptacle containing a bath and open at the top, an elevator movable into and out of the bath through the open top of the receptacle, a drum supported on the elevator for rotation about an axis extending generally perpendicular to the path of travel of the elevator and movable by the elevator into and out of the bath, a drain station positioned to one side of the path of travel of the elevator, a second drum rotatably supported at said drain station in a position to register with the first drum in the raised position of the elevator, said drums having the opposite ends open and having means for supporting articles therein, means for transferring articles from the first drum into the second drum when said drums are in registration, and means for rotating the drums when the drums are out of registration.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 4, having means including an inclined plate beneath said second drum for returning drainage from articles supported in said second drum back into said receptacle.

6. Apparatus for treating metal articles comprising a receptacle containing a bath and open at the top, an elevator movable into and out of the bath through the open top of the receptacle, a drum supported on the elevator for rotation about an axis extending generally perpendicular to the path of travel of the elevator and movable by the elevator into and out of the bath, a second drum rotatably supported to one side of the path of travel of the elevator in a position to register with the first drum in the raised position of the elevator, said drums having the opposite ends open and having means for supporting articles therein, means for transferring articles from the first drum into the second drum when said drums are in registration, and means for rotating the drums when the drums are out of registration.

7. Apparatus for treating metal articles comprising a receptacle containing a bath and open at the top, an elevator movable into and out of the bath through the open top of the receptacle, a drum having open ends supported on the elevator for rotation about an axis extending generally perpendicular to the path of travel of the elevator and movable by the elevator into and out of the bath, a drain station positioned to one side of the path of travel of the elevator, an article support at said drain station in a position to register with one end of said drum in the raised position of the elevator, said drum having means for supporting articles therein,

6 means for transferring articles from said drum to said support when said drum and support are in registration, and means for rotating said drum when said drum and support are out of registration. 7

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein the means for transferring articles from said drum to said support comprises a pair of slidesrespectively supported on saiddrum and support for sliding movement axially of saiddrum, and coupling portions on-said slides movable into interlocking engagement upon movement of the elevator to its raised position and movable out: of engagement upon movement of the elevator downwardly into the 'bath.

I 9. Apparatus for treating metal articles comprising a receptacle containing a bath and open at the top, an elevator movable into and out of the bath through the open top of the receptacle and having article supporting means thereon, an article support located to one side of the path of travel of said elevator in a position to register with said article supporting means in the raised position of the elevator, and means for transferring articles from said article supporting means to said support when said article supporting means and support are in registration, said last-named means comprising slides respectively supported on said article supporting means and support for sliding movement and having coupling portions on the adjacent ends movable into interlocking engagement upon movement of the elevator to its raised position and movable out of engagement upon movement of the elevator downwardly into the bath, and means connected to one slide for reciprocating said slides when said coupling portions are in interlocking engagement.

10. Apparatus for treating articles comprising a receptacle containing a bath and open at the top, an elevator movable into and out of the bath through the open top of the receptacle, a drum having an open end supported on the elevator for rotation about an axis extending transversely of the path of travel of the elevator and movable by the elevator into and out of the bath, an article support at one side of the path of travel of the elevator in a position to register with the open end of said drum in the raised position of the elevator, said drum having means for supporting articles therein, means for transferring articles from said drum to said support when said drum and support are in registration, and means for rotating said drum when said drum and support are out of registration.

ll. Apparatus for treating articles comprising a treating zone, a carriage movable into and out of said zone, a drum having an open end supported on said carriage for rotation and movable by said carriage into and out of said zone, an article support at one side of the path of travel of said carriage in a position to register with the open end of said drum when the latter is out of said zone, said drum having means for supporting articles therein, means for transferring articles from said drum to said support when said drum and support are in registration, and means for rotating said drum when said drum and support are out of registration.

12. Apparatus for treating articles comprising a treating zone, a carriage movable into and out of said treating zone and having article supporting means thereon, an article support located to one side of the path of travel of said carriage and positioned to register with said article supporting means when said carriage is in a position out of said treating zone, and means for transferring articles from said article supporting means to said support when said article supporting means and support are in registration, said last-named means comprising slides respectively supported on said article supporting means and support for sliding movement and having coupling portions on the adjacent ends movable r into interlocking engagement upon movement of said carriage to its position out of said zone and movable out ofengagement upon movement 01 said carriage, into saida 20116,,31111-11168111510; geciprocating said slides when,

the qaupling portians are in interlqcking, engagement.

ReferencesCi tedih 01 file-of this patent UNITED STATES'PATEENTS Baily eta-1. July 24, 1917' 1,255,896 1,285,272 1,359,851 1,7 2,524 1,704,0&6 1,888,960

8 Lathrop Feb. 12, 1918 Lutolf Nov. 19, 1918 Whitmyre Nov. 23,1920 Schoonmaker, In, et a1. Feb. 19, 1929 Hybinette Mar. 5,, 1929 Talley Nov. 22, 1932 Darrah Apr. 3, 19,34 Taintoli Oct. 25, 1938 Darrah Dec. 3, 1940 Huenerfauth June 17, 1941 Miller et al. Dec. 30, 1941 Holden Sept. 2, 1947 Loux Mar. 16, 1948 Davis Aug. 16, 1949 Davis Feb. 7, 1950 Denneen et a1 Oct. 3, 195,0 Fraraccio Nov. 6 1951 Davis Apr, 8, 1952 

